COP23 highlights

28 Nov 2017

COP23, the 23rd United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, came to a close on 18 November 2017. Here are our top takeaways and assessment of what it all means for local and regional governments – and for global climate action. 1. COP23 proved that the Paris Agreement is unstoppable and irreversible –

16 Nov 2017

For Manuel Alculete Lopes de Araújo, Mayor of Quelimane, Mozambique, governance is an issue that extends well beyond climate. Cooperation between national and local governments has, to date, been limited on a number of development issues. The Mayor shared strong views on the need to scale up climate action and on the need for effective

15 Nov 2017

Sustainable transport is key to the achievement of the Paris Agreement and has been mentioned in 75 percent of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Transport is also critical to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as urban mobility not only cuts emissions but improves quality of life in urban areas, by reducing congestion and pollution and providing

15 Nov 2017

The term sustainable public procurement might not seem so exciting at first glance, but it actually holds quite a bit of potential. In fact, the 10 of the cities that are part of the Global Lead City Network on Sustainable Procurement came together at COP23 in Bonn to explain how sustainable procurement can be a

14 Nov 2017

Buenos Aires, Recife and Campinas have several things in common. They are all large cities in Latin America dealing with the impacts of climate change. They face drought and intense periods of rains and flooding. They also share a strong commitment to take climate action. These cities is committed to the Global Covenant of Mayors

14 Nov 2017

At a national level, Japan is committed to the Paris Agreement. At COP22, Japan was one of the first countries to sign on to the 2050 pathways platform. On 14 November in the Japan Pavilion at COP23, Masaharu Nakagawa, Minister of the Environment and Yasuo Takahashi, Vice Minister of Global Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of

14 Nov 2017

On 13 November 2017, during COP23, cities, businesses and researchers gathered in a unique forum to discuss the implementation at scale of low-emissions solutions. Created by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, this was the third Low Emission Solutions Conference

Expert stakeholders and national government representatives met at COP23 to discuss climate resilience in human settlements at the 11th Focal Point Forum of the Nairobi Work Programme (NWP). Interactive discussions built on the findings of submissions from governments and NWP partners and sought to identify concrete opportunities to bridge gaps in knowledge, funding, capacity, and policy.

13 Nov 2017

Globally, an estimated 6.5 million deaths are attributed to air pollution every year. Cities around the world are facing some of the most severe effects of air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80 percent of the urban population is exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO guideline limits. On

11 Nov 2017

On 11 November at the U.S. Climate Action Center at COP23, a town hall style event brought together members of the U.S. People’s Delegation, diverse climate activists and local leaders from across the United States to discuss U.S. climate action moving forward. The session opened with leaders from various levels of state, regional and local